ALYSSA IS FIVE!!!

WOW! I have a Kindergartner! When did that happen?? I remember the good old days of sitting at home with my little baby and wondering if there could be anything better in this world! Alyssa was the most beautiful baby! It was love at first sight!

This is the first year that Alyssa really enjoyed having a friend party. Alyssa wanted to go to the Kangaroo Zoo bounce house. We all had a great time.

Alyssa 2 weeks old & 2 months old! I totally missed her cute chubby face!

Keira enjoyed the party as much as her sister!

At the end of the day, we came home and tried to "wind-down..." notice Alyssa's crazed face! She makes me laugh! She was totally spoiled by her friends and family. I love having her in my life! She's such a great kid and I miss having my little baby Lulu. Time flies by so fast! Thanks everyone for making it such a special day for Alyssa!

Happy 5th Birthday Alyssa "Lulu" Larsen... We love you!!!

MeMoRiEs.....

I copied this from my long lost cousin's blog. I loved this idea and hope to hear what ya'all have to say! Oh yes, that's my cute family and me as a baby! I know what your thinking... "look at all that brown, stylish clothing!"

I don't usually do the tags but this one sounded like fun..and a little interesting. Let's keep it clean, and fair, and I will hunt you down and hurt you if it is mean. Let's remember I have a trash button and I'm not afraid to use it!!! I am also allowing the words, "Beautiful", "incredible body" and "NICEST PERSON IN THE WORLD" on this post. (just in case you were afraid to say any of those things)
Here's how it works:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember, good or bad but be nice please! ;)

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments. Come on all my blog followers... I want to post something about you, let's see this on your blog!!!

Young Women's Girls Camp 2008

I've been called at the Young Women Camp Director! If you ever thought this was a hard calling, you were wrong... it's an impossible calling! Something always goes wrong!!! But, there were so many great moments, that I wouldn't trade it for any other calling! Because my kids are awake and destroying right now... I am posting the text our YW President wrote about camp. Ya'all know how much I love to blog! =)

Our theme was The Wizard of Oz... There's No Place Like Home. Perfect!!! The girls were homesick for home and the theme related to being homesick for our home in Heaven.

We had 23 young women finish their certifications and Anastasia Hunter was able to do two years so she will be on track for next year as a third year.

We drove up to Beaver Ridge camp on Tuesday the 8th and set up camp. We were right next to the stake and amphi-theater. So my car was the target for dust writting. Not all of them washed off. =( If you look closely... the girls wrote "Sorry Shane" on every corner. Yeah, he wasn't too happy, but took it well. Love that man!

We had 9 tents for sleeping and three awnings, three cement picnic tables, three tables for food prep and washing, 1 camp stove for cooking. So we had much to do on the set up. All of the young women helped get everything in order. They got along and were happy campers.

Our Youth Camp leaders were, Steph Palmer, Katie Brandon, Shar Prestwich, Sam Nicponski, Kim Mace, Krista Purser, and Katie Kelsey. They were in charge of the first nights devotional. So they lead the camp in fun songs and wore some goofy green wigs with green whistles and green rings. Their thought was on faith and they told the story of "Che Ami" the carrier pigeon from World War 1 who made it through to headquarters when all of the other pigeons had been shot down. He was shot to but made it through. They related this to being able to listen to the messages of God. That we need to listen and do what he asks. They then handed out some Sunflower seed packages that they had change the name to carrier bird feed. Our second years retired the flag that evening.

We then put on a skit for the whole stake. Each ward was given a list of props and a theme( ours was faith). We then had to make up a skit from it.
Katie Brandon was the narrator, Shar was Queen Ebequenzer looking for her royal paper(Toilet paper). The courtiers' who were helping to look for the paper were, Steph Palmer, Sam Nicponski, Kim Mace, Krista Purser, Katie Kelsey. The French Chefs were Shantel and Candace. The royal dog walkers were Meagan Mondragon, Amber Larson with Kelsie, Camille, Laruen and Jayce. The royal fairy was Laura with the bubble blowers as Jessica and Angie. The princess was Anastasia and Sam Larson who finally found the royal paper. Anyway it was quite hilarious and a good time was had by all.

Kenny Favero came up to camp and perform his song that he wrote for the theme of "There is no place like home". We were the Munchkin Manor and had little baby dolls all with crazy hair stapled to our door(each camp had a door). The babies were stolen and we did a cheer to try and get them back. Some did return home but their are few still floating around somewhere over the rainbow.

Bishop Purser came up with his wife on Tuesday as well as Brandon Beckstead and Jen with Kenny's wife and daughter Ashton. Kenny did a great job and had the Young Women begging for more. He had his 15 year old brother in law with him ( also in his band) which drove the Young Women crazy.

Wednesday they had a speaker who was in a wheel chair. Her talk was very inspirational to the young women and let them know that whatever trials you have to face in this life it is worth it. She is now married and has a little two year old boy. She had the girls laughing at some of her funny stories and crying at others. She thought no one would ever love her because they would only see a wheelchair and not the girl who rode on it. She was wrong and has traveled the world, drives a car and finished college to become a family therapist. She said she has to do more ahead planning.

The next day we did as much of our certification as possible with lots of crafts thrown in. Beaded bracelets, friendship bracelets, beads in the hair, French braids, boon doogle and our hot dog roaster sticks. We played "Alien Baseball" where you have two people in one shirt and run the bases backwards from third to first. The Water obstacle course and the Zip Line with a rock climbing wall thrown in.
Our ward was in charge of feeding 250 people with the 28th ward for lunch... the girls loved the food, see their excitement! =)

We sang lots of crazy songs and played Little Sally Walker that had a lot of groovy dance moves, and Guess who I am. Myra won the most on that game she must have had it rigged.(Just kidding)

We did have two girls get sick and go home. Shantel Liethead ended up having Mono and Steph Palmer went home to have her Appendix out. We visited both of them on Friday evening with some balloons and Get Well cards. Shantel is on Steroids to try and get her back to feeling better. She will need lots of rest and fluids she isn't able to swallow very well but the swelling seems to have gone down in her throat. Steph had three small incisions in her stomach to get the appendix out and was home from the hospital Friday having had the surgery on Thursday afternoon. Steph is able to eat but is quite sore. they both seemed in good spirits.

We made red flip-flops at the stake to help us click our heels three times to get home. We also packed our school bags we made with school supplies to send to Africa. Kecia put a small makeup bag together with some thought on how to stay close to Heavenly Father, with the theme "There's No Place Like home" and some cute little red shoes on the side. She had things inside like a curler to remember to curl up with the scriptures each night.

They had the Bishops come up and hide behind a curtain with their socks and shoes off. So we could just see their feet. They then told a story about their life and we had to guess which feet were our Bishops. When you guessed your bishop they then made them dress up in funny shoes, a green wig, a green hand bag and flower. They came out to dance a to the song "Foot Loose". Since our Bishop couldn't be there Brandon Beckstead took his place and he did the best dance off all of the Bishops. It was a lot of fun.
We did have a testimony meeting around the camp fire. We asked each girl to say something and they did. We just went around in a circle. then we presented the awards and gave out special Wooden Jewelry boxes to all of the 4th year and older girls for a job well done. It will be something for the younger girls to look forward to for next year as they pass off the 4th year. With all of the girls hectic schedules it is a wonder they could all come with us.

One thing that I LOVED was Kenny's song that he wrote for girls camp! You have to check it out at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=3331020966 or www.myspace.com/kennyfavero It's named THERE's NO PLACE LIKE HOME! My kids love it and play it over and over again! They also liked FIX ME. I wanted to down load it on my blog... but I really hate blogging. =) I just like to read them. So please check it out! It's sooooooo good!

This was just before we left to go home and have a much needed shower! Our door had cute decorations on it, thanks to Kecia... but the other wards stole them for fun.

Anyway, back to my family and chaos!!

Thanks 33rd Ward Girls! I loved camp!!!

Easter... a bit late.

I wanted to include this Easter video... even though it's a bit late. Shane is so cute with our girls. Don't mind my awful laugh! I don't know where I got that from.

Girls' Weekend - NYC BABY!!!

For Mother's Day, my husband sent me on a trip of a lifetime! He sent me to visit my best friend in York, Pennsylvania. (What a great hubby, eh?) We had sooo much fun! I flew stand-by for the first time in my life. My sweet friend gave me one her her buddy passes so I could go! SHE's SO RAD! She's so humble, she didn't want me to tell anyone she did that. I am so blessed to have such great friends! I had a direct flight that changed to three flights to get me there in time at the very last minute! It's a MIRACLE that I got there in time! The flight I was flying on was full, the next flight was delayed so Jetblue sent me to San Francisco, then to Boston, MA and finally to Washington DC where Jessica picked me up.













I saw the sun set in the Pacific Ocean (that's the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, if you couldn't tell)....
and raise at the Atlantic Ocean in Boston, MA within 8 hours!

Then just a few more hours of flying I finally ended up in Washington DC where Jessica and her kids picked me up!


We spend the day touring Arlington Cemetery and visiting all of the Washington D.C. monuments. I loved the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers!



































The next day, Jessica's friends Kelly & Sue picked us up and we left for THE BIG APPLE!!! We got all dressed up and ate Italian in a really small basement Sooo good! I don't know where they fit the kitchen there! Everything is so cramped in NYC.

















Then we went to see Mary Poppins on Broadway just a few blocks from our hotel! It was the highlight of the trip! I was so impressed with it! My favorite part was when Mary Poppins flew over the audience above us into the lights and reappeared on stage a few minutes later!

Saturday morning we visited the New York City LDS Temple. It was so quiet and peaceful vs being outside in crazy, stinky NYC. Very different.




















Then we ate at Ben Affleck and Rachel Ray's favorite pizza place, Famous Joe's Pizza. Jessica made walk all of Lower Manhattan searching for it! It was worth it! I am now a big fan of flat NYC pizza! Best $2.50 I spent all weekend!

This pic is of Jessica, me, Sue and Kelly braving the NYC subway system. It is soooo dirty and yucky! It smelled like an outhouse and there were crazy people on there preaching, fighting and others in another world! I thought that was just in movies. I had to step over a person sleeping on the stairs! GERMS!!! EWWW!

BOBBY FLAY MESA GRILL!!!















That night we ate at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill! My food was good, I think?! It was so spicy that the orange sauce, I think they said it was a some sort of pepper sauce, burned my mouth. I couldn't taste anything after that. They said it would be spicy... but this would have scared Shane! OUCH!!! It was still a great experience and I would do it again!!!


We visited the World Trade Towers. The girls went shopping across the street, so I joined in a group tour of ground zero. It made 9/11 seem very surreal.
















I loved visiting St. Paul's Chapel and churchyard! Some of the oldest tombs are there. Creepy, I know... but I love this sort of thing!

















Inside they had President George Washington's original pew/chair where he prayed just after winning the election.

There were memorials to the people who lost their lives during 9/11.

The girls had me running all over the place. I stopped to snap a pic of Rockefeller Center and rushed to catch up... I was such a tourist!

My favorite stores!!! World of Disney & a huge Toys R Us. The only place (other than fridge magnets and postcards) where I purchased souvenirs.

Our Last day we stopped at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Ellis Island was so touching... I wish we could have spent more time there and learned about our U.S. immigrates. We had lunch with Auguste Bartholdi, the designer of the Statue of Liberty. He told us all about his life and history of his "Lady of Freedom." One of my favorite parts of our trip!

This weekend was so much fun and a great break! We are already planning next year's girl's weekend! I came home to a husband who missed me very much. Which was so nice. But the kids enjoyed their time with dad. I had meals in the fridge for them, but instead, I came home to a fridge full of fast food leftovers! One thing I learned from being in NYC, I am soooo grateful for a yard to raise my two cute girls! My house is giant compared to NYC apartment! A fun place to visit, not to raise a family though. Thanks for a wonderful Mother's Day Shane! And thanks to my in-laws... who I know Shane recruited for hours of help with our kids!